the

design thinking

reggio-inspired

forest school

foundation

citizenship

place based education

Important Update Regarding Raintree School

Raintree School will officially close at the conclusion of the Spring 2026 semester, as our campus transitions to the Parkway School District. While this chapter is ending, our vision for a sustainable forest school continues. We are actively working toward a new future for our community and invite you to stay connected:

Stay Informed: Join our mailing list for updates on our progress and future plans.
Explore Our Values: We encourage you to browse our website to learn more about our educational philosophy.
Contact Us: If you have questions about this transition, please reach out to our Director of Admissions, Peyton, at peyton@raintreeschool.org.

We look forward to making these final months on campus truly magical for our students and families.

a bit of news

Fall Festival

News and Events

Campout Cooking Class

News and Events

Family Picnic

News and Events

Elementary Curriculum Night

News and Events

more news ..

a peek at our approach

Into the Forest We Go

a message from the educator micro-retreat

raintree in the news

PreK and the Shark Lady

STL Post Dispatch

New Documentary Connects Missouri Girls to Great Outdoors

STL Parent Magazine

Raintree School Goes Solar

The Healthy Planet

Mother Nature is a Woman

Terrain Magazine

Board Games Inspire Kinder

West Newsmagazine

upcoming events

more events ..

spotted dog blog

The Seasons at Raintree

By Ashley Hummert The changing seasons are a large part of experiencing forest school. Our students and teachers welcome the elements as they are, gearing up in waterproof pants on rainy days and layering up in thick snow pants during the winter. We get a front row seat to the magic: watching the setting and weather morph each time we go outside to play, bringing us new experiences, play themes, and fascination. There is a special song that each class sings at Raintree when

Ashley Hummert

The Beginning of a Project

By Melanie Rodenbeck As a preschool teacher who works at a non traditional, Reggio-Emilia inspired forest school, I am frequently asked about our unique approach to academics. I enthusiastically describe our project work process as a response to these inquiries about Raintree’s philosophy. Oftentimes, people are left wondering, “How do you pick a project topic for such young children?” The answer is simple: I don't necessarily choose anything, the children lead the way. My

Ashley Hummert

the

foundation

Important Update Regarding Raintree School

a bit of news

Fall Festival

Campout Cooking Class

Family Picnic

Elementary Curriculum Night

a peek at our approach

Into the Forest We Go

a message from the educator micro-retreat

raintree in the news

PreK and the Shark Lady

​

New Documentary Connects Missouri Girls to Great Outdoors

Raintree School Goes Solar

Mother Nature is a Woman

Board Games Inspire Kinder

upcoming events

spotted dog blog

The Seasons at Raintree

The Beginning of a Project

a place where children are engaged in civic mindfulness; where young citizens share a sense of common good, intellectual courage and a love for all things wild.